Lightning News

Lightning Trade Hutchinson for Tukonen [1]

11/30/2008 - 7:39pm

The Tampa Bay Lightning have announced that they have traded D Andrew Hutchinson to the Dallas Stars in exchange for prospect RW Lauri Tukonen.

Tukonen, who was selected 11th overall by Los Angeles in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, floundered for three years as a pro in the Kings organization before returning to Finland where he has played for Lukko Rauma this season, amassing 5 goals and 13 points in 22 games this year. The 22 year old winger was once touted as an up-and-coming power forward type in the Olli Jokinen mold, but his lack of intensity saw him score just 14 goals and 36 points in 62 games in his career season in the AHL, his rookie professional year in 2005-2006.

Hutchinson's departure removes a one-way contract from the Lightning's ledger. The defenseman has had respectable numbers in the minors, with 1 goal and 14 points in 20 games, but the emergence of prospect Blair Jones as the right-handed triggerman on Norfolk's power play was likely the final straw that made Hutchinson expendable.

Lightning Recall Downie and Smaby [2]

11/27/2008 - 11:26am

The Tampa Bay Lightning have annouced [3] that they have recalled RW Steve Downie and D Matt Smaby from Norfolk of the AHL after injuries to W/D David Koci and D Marek Malik.

Downie, who was recently acquired in the Steve Eminger deal, has 1 goal and 13 points to go with 51 penalty minutes in 10 AHL games this season between Norfolk and Philadelphia. The forward also appeared in six scoreless games amassing 11 penalty minutes for the Flyers prior to being dealt to the Lightning. The pesky winger has appeared in 38 career NHL games with 6 goals, 12 points, and 84 penalty minutes.

Smaby has 1 goal and 3 points in 17 games with Norfolk this season to go along with 22 penalty minutes. The stay-at-home defenseman played well with Tampa Bay down the stretch of last season and has played 14 career NHL games with 12 penalty minutes.

Both players offer to raise the grit and intensity level of a Lightning club recently accused of lacking those elements [4] by Head Coach Rick Tocchet.

Ramo Reassigned to Norfolk; Henley Recalled from Lynx [5]

11/25/2008 - 4:16pm

Lightning GM Brian Lawton announced today that goaltending prospect Karri Ramo has been reassigned from Tampa Bay to the Norfolk Admirals (AHL). The Admirals resume play Wednesday night against the Springfield Falcons at home. Ramo was recalled after Saturday's Norfolk game and played in relief of starter Olaf Kolzig in Sunday night's game against the New Jersey Devils.

Sullivan Rejoins Lightning Coaching Staff [6]

11/25/2008 - 10:39am

Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Tribune is reporting [7] that Mike Sullivan is returning to the Lightning coaching staff as an assistant to Interim Head Coach Rick Tocchet. Sullivan, along with the entire Lightning coaching staff, was dismissed by the new ownership group headed by Oren Koules and Len Barrie last summer when they hired Barry Melrose and Tocchet as their new coaching staff. Sullivan has remained under contract to the Lightning and on the club's payroll while looking for new coaching opportunities.

In a Lightning press release, GM Brian Lawton spoke highly of Sullivan's return to the Bolt bench. “We are excited to add Mike to our coaching staff,” Lawton said. “He’s been here and knows the players well, and he’s an upgrade to the overall quality of our coaching. Mike is highly respected throughout the league and has been successful as a head coach at the NHL, AHL and International levels.”

BoltProspects 2008-2009 Preliminary Rankings Report [8]

11/28/2008 - 8:00pm

Today, Bolt Prospects is releasing its Preliminary Prospect Rankings for the 2008-2009 season. Eight prospects make their debut in the Top 25 since the end of the 2007-2008 season. Half of the debutantes enter the list via the 2008 NHL Entry Draft including the #1 overall pick. The other half enter the list via various trades and acquisitions made by the new Lightning ownership.

Just a reminder of the rules: a prospect is any player under the age of 24 on opening night of the Lightning’s NHL season that has not played 41 or more games in an NHL season or more than 82 games in their NHL career. For goaltenders, the games thresholds are slightly different. Netminders will be considered prospects if they have not achieved 30 or more decisions in an NHL season or 41 decisions in their NHL careers. In addition, all college players will be considered prospects, regardless of their age, until they graduate. Players over the age of 24 on opening night that have not graduated are considered overage prospects.

With all the legal disclaimers out of the way, lets begin:

1. C Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay (NHL)

Despite a slow start to his rookie campaign, Stamkos remains the clear consensus choice as the Lightning's top prospect. It's only a matter of time before Stamkos, with his world class speed and shot, becomes one of the game's elite forwards. We just hope the Lightning can finally figure out the right linemates and role to put Stamkos in a position to succeed.

Bolts to recall Ramo and either Heward or Hutchinson [9]

11/22/2008 - 3:08pm

The St. Pete Times [10] is reporting that Lightning GM Brian Lawton has indicated that Bolt goaltending prospect Karri Ramo will be recalled prior to Sunday afternoon's game against the New Jersey Devils. Ramo will backup starter Olaf Kolzig while netminder Mike Smith nurses a lower body injury that has been nagging him for a few games.

Along with Ramo, Lawton indicated that either Jamie Heward or Andrew Hutchinson would be recalled to fill in for blueliner Lukas Krajicek, who suffered a lower body injury during the Lightning's 4-1 victory over Nashville Friday night. Both Heward and Hutchinson are right-handed defenseman, and Lawton indicated that was the main reason for the recall of one of these two players. Heward was scratched in today's afternoon Admirals game against Lowell, possibly tipping the hat as to who would be recalled.

In order to make room for Ramo and Heward/Hutchinson, both Gary Roberts and Chris Gratton will be placed on the Injured Reserve list. Roberts is suffering from an upper body injury, while Gratton is out with a minor knee tweak. This move may cue a recall of goaltender Riku Helenius from the Augusta Lynx to back up Norfolk's Mike McKenna.

Koci Reclaimed Off Waivers [11]

11/20/2008 - 4:51pm

The Tampa Bay Lightning have claimed overaged left wing prospect David Koci off of waivers from the St. Louis Blues organization. Koci was lost to the Blues via waivers earlier in the season when the Lightning waived Koci with the intention of reassigning him Norfolk (AHL).

According the Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Tribune, there were numerous claims registered for Koci, which means the Lightning cannot reassign him to Norfolk without placing him back on waivers.

Niskala Reassigned to Frolunda (SEL) [12]

11/20/2008 - 10:35am

This bit of news went overlooked last Friday on trash day, but the Tampa Bay Lightning reassigned overaged prospect defenseman Janne Niskala to Frolunda of the Swedish Elite League on November 14.

Niskala cleared waivers on November 6 and had been loaned to the Norfolk Admirals while the Lightning awaited the European leagues to return from a break in play, but Niskala did not report to the Admirals per an arrangement with Lightning GM Brian Lawton. Niskala had a clause in his contract that allowed him to be reassigned to a European team in the event he could not stick with the NHL roster. The signing of free agent defensemen Marek Malik resulted in Niskala being a consistent healthy scratch, promptly the player to ask Lawton for a European reassignment.

Niskala joins a Frolunda team that earlier in the SEL season released fellow Bolt overaged defensive prospect Andreas Holmqvist, who has subsequently joined Djurgardens.

Melrose Out/Tocchet In [13]

11/14/2008 - 5:04pm

Erik Erlendsson is reporting [14] that the Tampa Bay Lightning have fired Barry Melrose and named Rick Tocchet Interim Head Coach.

And with that, the Lightning are now officially spending more on ex-Head Coaches this season than they are on veteran blueliners. The new ownership is learning some hard lessons. There's not much else you can say.

From TSN [15], "This was a tough decision to make," Executive Vice President & General Manager Brian Lawton said. "Barry is a good man and we have a great deal of respect for him. We wish him nothing but success. However, the results were unacceptable and the players have to understand that we need to be better. Hopefully this change helps push them."

"As for Rick Tocchet, we think this is a great opportunity for him and we believe he's the type of coach who can take the team to the next level. Our players have a great deal of respect for him."

Bolts Acquire Downie and Eminger [16]

11/07/2008 - 7:42pm

The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired defenseman Steve Eminger, right wing Steve Downie and a fourth-round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenseman Matt Carle and San Jose’s third-round pick in 2009 (previously acquired) today, Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced.

Downie, a 5-foot-10, 192-pound native of Newmarket, Ontario, has played in six games with the Flyers this year, recording 11 penalty minutes. He has played in 38 career NHL games, all with Philadelphia, recording six goals and 12 points. He also has one career shorthanded goal and one game-winning goal. The 21-year-old played in 190 career junior games with Windsor, Peterborough and Kitchener. He amassed 82 career goals and 234 points. He also appeared in 43 OHL playoff games, recording 18 goals and 53 points. Downie was originally drafted by Philadelphia in the first round, 29th overall, in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.